Airport lounges can function oases from a busy, crowded or outdated terminal. Some lounges, like Precedence Move, belong to a membership community; others are airline-specific, just like the United Membership lounge.
If you happen to’re a loyal United Airways flyer or frequent one of many provider’s largest hubs, visiting a United Membership lounge might be already in your radar. Nonetheless, the airline just lately made some main entry modifications, affecting most flyers.
So, maintain studying to seek out out extra about moving into United lounges.
The right way to entry United Membership and Polaris lounges
The Chicago-based airline gives a community of ordinary lounges, dubbed United Membership, and unique ultra-premium lounges for worldwide long-haul enterprise vacationers and Star Alliance premium cabin, often called Polaris Lounge. Lounge entry offers vacationers with complimentary drinks, snacks and high-speed web, and choose lounges provide facilities, comparable to personal leisure areas and showers.
So, how does one acquire entry to United’s community of lounges?
Similar-day boarding move requirement
Although United introduced a number of modifications relating to accessing its lounge community, one requirement that is not altering is that you will nonetheless want a same-day boarding move. This will also be a same-day boarding move for a Star Alliance associate airline, like Lufthansa or Swiss.
Associated: Finest United Airways bank cards
Paid United Membership membership
United now has two tiers of paid membership for entry to the Membership.
United Membership particular person membership
Day by day E-newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Day by day e-newsletter
Be part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s specialists
Value: $750 or 94,000 miles
This membership gives limitless entry to all 45-plus United Membership areas for the first member solely. There are not any reductions accessible for United Premier members. Particular person members can pay to carry company into the lounge on a one-off foundation; you will must pay $59 for a one-time move per visitor.
Particular person members should not have entry to Star Alliance associate lounges.
United Membership All Entry membership
Value: Varies relying on Premier standing
| MileagePlus Premier standing | All Entry annual membership price |
|---|---|
| Common member | $1,400 or 175,000 miles |
| Premier Silver | $1,400 or 175,000 miles |
| Premier Gold | $1,400 or 175,000 miles |
| Premier Platinum | $1,300 or 163,000 miles |
| Premier 1K | $1,200 or 150,000 miles |
| World Companies | $1,000 or 125,000 miles |
All Entry members can take pleasure in limitless United Membership entry for the first member and as much as two company, or one grownup and two dependents beneath 18 years previous.
This membership additionally consists of entry to all Star Alliance member lounges, in addition to different choose associate areas. All Entry members can use any Star Alliance member carrier-owned or Star Alliance-branded lounge.
Whereas these new membership plans are already efficient for brand new sign-ups, current members who signed up earlier than March 24 will not see any modifications till their membership 12 months expires. Upon renewal, members should select between a person or All Entry plan (and pay the related larger charges).
Observe that lifetime United Membership members have been transformed to All Entry plans.
TPG values United MileagePlus miles at 1.35 cents every, per our March 2025 valuations, so your greatest guess is to pay the annual membership payment with money as an alternative of miles.
Entry United Membership lounges with a Bank card
Having an eligible cobranded United bank card will be essentially the most cost-effective technique to constantly enter the United Membership.
You may get lounge entry with the next playing cards (word that some playing cards solely provide one-time passes):
*Beginning Could 1, one-time passes can solely be utilized by the first cardholder, a certified consumer or a visitor touring with both cardmember; moreover, passholders can solely use the move inside three hours of their scheduled flight departure.
**The knowledge for the United Membership Enterprise Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Observe that lounge membership earned through a cobranded bank card gives a novel entry coverage that features entry for major cardmembers, one visitor and any dependents beneath 18 years previous.
Cardmembers can unlock an All Entry membership membership (bumping up the visitor allowance to 2 individuals and unlocking entry to associate lounges) in one in all two methods. The primary is to earn Premier Gold standing or larger in a given 12 months, and the second is to spend at the very least $50,000 on eligible purchases on their cobranded card in a calendar 12 months.
For the reason that annual payment on each the United Membership Card and the United Membership Enterprise Card is $695, having a bank card to enter the lounge stays a extra enticing possibility than outright shopping for a membership.
Moreover, the United Membership Card and the United Membership Enterprise Card provide 4 one-time passes yearly when cardmembers have a certified consumer on their account and have unlocked an All Entry Membership.
If you happen to’d want to keep away from the hefty annual payment, you’ll be able to go for the entry-level United Explorer Card or the United Enterprise Card, each of which embody two single-use United Membership passes annually. Observe that these day passes do not embody visitor entry, nor can they be transferred to mates or household who aren’t licensed customers or accompanying a cardmember into the lounge.
Entry United Membership lounges with Elite standing
Choose Premier members can use United Golf equipment at any time throughout their journey journey.
United Premier Gold (and better) members have entry to United Golf equipment when touring internationally on any Star Alliance provider, no matter their class of service. They will additionally carry alongside one visitor departing on a Star Alliance provider from the identical airport (word that the visitor have to be touring on the identical flight).
Star Alliance Gold members who maintain standing with one other associate airline can use the United Membership with any same-day Star Alliance boarding move, together with throughout home United journey (once more, company have to be touring on the identical flight because the elite member).
Since Jan. 1, 2021, United’s invite-only World Companies members can take pleasure in lounge entry on all United-operated flights, together with these working completely inside the U.S. Observe that this new perk solely covers the World Companies member — you will solely be capable of carry a visitor into the lounge with an All Entry membership, eligible cobranded bank card or when flying internationally.
Entry United lounges with Ticket sort
Premium-cabin Star Alliance vacationers also can use United Golf equipment, although the precise phrases and visitor privileges range by ticket sort, as seen beneath.
United Membership One-time move
If you happen to do not journey sufficient to decide to an annual membership, you may as well buy day passes for $59 at United Membership areas or by the United cell app. Simply word that day passes do not assure entry throughout peak crowding intervals.
Beginning Could 1, vacationers utilizing a one-time move can solely enter a United Membership as much as three hours earlier than their scheduled departure time. This completely applies to departure flights, and there’s no time restrict for entry on connecting flights.
Observe that grab-and-go Membership Fly areas now not settle for one-time passes.
You may as well earn one-time passes totally free with choose cobranded bank cards, together with:
- United Explorer Card: Two single-use United Membership passes annually
- United Enterprise Card: Two single-use United Membership passes annually
- United Membership Card: 4 one-time passes yearly when cardmembers have a certified consumer on their account and have unlocked Membership All Entry Membership
- United Membership Enterprise Card: 4 one-time passes yearly when cardmembers have a certified consumer on their account and have unlocked Membership All Entry Membership
Different United Membership entry
United’s lounges are open to a couple different vacationers, together with:
- Lively U.S. navy personnel: You may must journey with a legitimate navy I.D., a same-day United boarding move and be wearing uniform, or carry your go away orders or relaxation and recuperation papers.
- Air Canada Maple Leaf Membership members: Maple Leaf Membership North America members can use any home United Membership location, whereas Maple Leaf Membership Worldwide members can use all areas worldwide and convey a visitor for every go to.
- Virgin Australia Velocity Gold, Platinum and VIP elite members: Members could go to United Golf equipment by presenting a same-day boarding move for a global United or Virgin Australia flight departing from the identical airport. You may carry one visitor in case you’re touring with United.
United Polaris Lounge entry
In fact, Star Alliance premium-cabin passengers even have entry to United’s Polaris lounges, which supply fashionable furnishings, personal spalike bathe suites and elevated culinary experiences.
Three varieties of passengers are eligible for Polaris lounge entry:
- Vacationers in United Polaris enterprise class: Obtainable at departure, connecting and/or arrival airports (no company)
- Vacationers in Star Alliance top quality: Solely accessible on the departure airport for a long-haul first-class flight (one visitor)
- Vacationers in Star Alliance enterprise class: Solely accessible on the departure airport for a long-haul business-class flight (no company)
United Membership Fly Entry
Along with United Golf equipment and Polaris Lounges, the provider operates a grab-and-go lounge idea referred to as “Membership Fly.”
The primary such area opened in Denver in November 2022, and a second one opened in Houston in early 2025. Eligible vacationers can enter Membership Fly by scanning their boarding move on the self-serve entry gate.
When you get inside, you’ll be able to raid the snack bar that is stocked with packaged and ready meals, and you may as well order a espresso from the barista.
Given Membership Fly’s deal with effectivity, the entry insurance policies are a bit completely different. All vacationers eligible to enter a United Membership or Polaris Lounge can go to Membership Fly, however they can not carry any company. (This excludes energetic U.S. navy personnel, one-time passholders and Air Canada Maple Leaf Membership members.)
United Membership lounge Places
You may discover a plethora of United Golf equipment within the provider’s major hubs, together with:
- Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD): 5 areas — three in Terminal 1 (close to gates B6, B18 and C10), plus two in Terminal 2 throughout from gates E7 and F9
- Denver Worldwide Airport (DEN): Three areas — one close to Gate B32, one other close to Gate B44 and a 3rd close to Gate A25; United Membership Fly will be discovered close to Gate B60
- Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH): 5 areas — one in Terminal A (throughout from Gate A9), one in Terminal B (south mezzanine), two in Terminal C (close to Gate C1 and towards Gate C33) and one in Terminal E (between gates E11 and E12); United Membership Fly will be discovered close to Gates B12-20
- Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX): One location adjoining to Gate 71A
- Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR): Three areas — one in Terminal A close to Gate A27 and two in Terminal C close to gates C74 and C123
- San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO): Three areas — two in Terminal 3 (close to Gate E4 and Gate F11) and one within the worldwide terminal (between gates G6 and G9).
- Dulles Worldwide Airport (IAD) close to Washington, D.C.: Three areas within the Midfield Terminal (close to gates C7, C17 and D8)
Apart from DEN, the entire talked about airports have Polaris lounges.
Many of the different golf equipment are scattered throughout the U.S., together with in airports comparable to Dallas Fort Value Worldwide Airport (DFW), Philadelphia Worldwide Airport (PHL), Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport (PHX), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport (ATL) and Minneapolis-St. Paul Worldwide Airport (MSP), amongst others.
Try United’s web site for a whole record of the airline’s Membership and Polaris lounge areas.
Backside line
United gives quite a lot of methods to entry its United Golf equipment, each for premium-cabin frequent flyers and for these with a membership.
If you happen to regularly journey with United, it is price analyzing which choices provide the most effective bang to your buck to unlock a soothing lounge expertise.
Associated studying:
